MUZAFFARGARH: Police on Wednesday registered a case against former MNA Jamshed Ahmad Dasti and 90 other people for resisting an anti-encroachment operation at Tibba Kareemabad (Bihari Colony) a day earlier.

A team of district administration and police were about to launch operation to retrieve land at Bihari Colony when the ‘illegal occupants’ called Jamshed Dasti to help them stop the action. Dasti reached the spot after some time and warned police and Assistant Commissioner Ashraf Gujjar against undertaking the cleanup operation. The residents led by Dasti protested against the government move and scared the officials away.

On Wednesday, police and anti-encroachment team again visited the area and people gathered at Thermal Power Chowk and protested. Dasti and PPP MNA Irshad Sial once again came to the rescue of the people and said they would not let the government deprive them of shelter.

Commissioner Tahir Khursheed ordered police to register a case against Dasti and others and said the operation would be carried out. He asked the chief engineers of irrigation and highways departments to give data of the occupied land within two days.

Police registered a case against Dasti and 90 other people under sections 341, 148 and 149 of PPC, and 16 MPO. Thousands of acres have been illegally occupied by influential people in Muzaffargarh. An operation was launched last week to retrieve graveyards from illegal occupants but had to be stopped halfway.

MNA Mehr Irshad Sial said the PTI government was depriving the poor of shelter and a square meal.

Published in Dawn, October 25th, 2018

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